Tesla Australia has added a number of new pre-configured Model 3s to its inventory page, giving customers an opportunity to get a Model 3 delivered quickly instead of waiting for customised orders to be shipped from the US.
According to The Driven sources, the vehicles – which are all Long Range Performance Model 3s priced from $95,275 before on-road costs – are all surplus inventory, shipped over by Tesla in recent weeks and available for purchase immediately.
Tesla contacted its marketing list on Monday night (Australian time), noting that all the vehicles are “available for accelerated delivery”.
The arrival of the Tesla Model 3 in Australia has had a significant impact the local auto market, having doubled the low number of electric vehicle registrations since deliveries began in September.
Tesla’s expansion into global markets in 2019 – including right hand markets such as Australia – has seen the EV maker double down on production after a difficult ramp in 2018, with over 200,000 units delivered worldwide in the first, second, and third quarter combined.
Tesla does not report on local sales numbers, but a source told The Driven in September that at least 2,414 Model 3s were destined for Australian customers on the first three fully loaded cargo ships.
However, deliveries have slowed down in the last quarter, at least in Australia and reportedly also in other non-domestic markets, with Performance configurations hit hard in Australia in particular.
In late October The Driven noted a number of customers had been told their Performance Model 3 deliveries would be delayed until January 2020 – a sore blow for customers, some who had been waiting up to three years since the Model 3 order page first went live in 2016.
Ex-Car Advice journo Paul Maric also noted that delivery dates for the Performance Model 3 were pushed back until February.
Wowsers. Estimated delivery date for @Tesla Model 3 Performance in Australia has moved to February 2020. Given other models have a Dec. estimate, it sounds like the Performance variant has struck the biggest chord with Australians. Would love to know how many have sold, @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/dt1AJtTVqS
— Paul Maric (@PaulMaric) October 26, 2019
Tesla is apparently also adding surplus inventory to other overseas markets, perhaps in a bid to empty docks and showrooms and achieve another record quarter for Model 3 deliveries.
More than 80 Model 3s have been added to the Tesla Netherlands website, all white Long Range Performance variants.
Something weird is going on over in the Netherlands… @ Tesla NL has dozens (80+?) of white Model 3 Performance listed for sale on their website. It's the only Model 3 option available…
Did they ship the global inventory of white M3P over there? WTF??? https://t.co/rAy9BIqRhL pic.twitter.com/sfxUwPakE7— Jessica Meckmann 👀 (@meckimac) December 15, 2019
As noted by Motley Fool, if Tesla is to double its 2018 delivery numbers – and therefore sales numbers – for the Model 3, bringing units sold to 289,000 up from 2018’s 146,000, it must deliver a record 81,000 Model 3s this quarter.
